It has been quite the offseason already for the Green Bay Packers. The ongoing trade negotiations with the New York Jets concerning Aaron Rodgers have been talked about for weeks. A recent report stated that Jets owner Woody Johnson backed off of his initial offer to the Packers because of Rodgers’ retirement talk. Of course, those talks have dominated headlines, and rightly so.
However, David Bakhtiari also made his own headlines when he told “Bussin’ with the the Boys” that the 2023 Green Bay Packers were probably going to suck. Earlier this week, Packers insider Matt Schneidman of The Athletic appeared on “Nine 2 Noon” on 97.3 The Game with John Kuhn and Brian Butch to discuss those two stories.
Green Bay Packers Insider Suggest Aaron Rodgers May Have Intentionally Sabotaged Trade Negotiations with Retirement Talk

Former Green Bay Packers fullback John Kuhn asked Schneidman if he thought that Rodgers talked about retirement because he knew it would cause the Jets to lower their offer to the Packers. Schneidman responded with the following:
“Well he should be [trying to sabotage the price] because if that’s the team he is going to play for, he wants them to have as many resources as possible to help him out. Now, how much does he care if it is a 2025 conditional pick or a 2025 first round pick, whatever you want to say, when he’s probably not going to be on the team then? I don’t know how much he cares about that.
“But in terms of the picks this year, 2023, or even next year in 2024 since he is considering playing another year. We know this is the way it is with him, it is very much a year-to-year thing with him, I could see that.
“Now, I’m not saying he went on McAfee and thought ‘I’m going to say I was 90% retired going into the darkness’ so that the Jets don’t give up as much and hold up negotiations.’ But the guy is a mastermind in his own way, so I wouldn’t be surprised is all I’m saying.”
Schneidman hit the nail on the head. Rodgers is very calculated. He never says anything publicly without a purpose. It is entirely possible that there was an ulterior motive to his admitting that on The Pat McAfee Show.
Matt Schneidman Has Concerns Over What David Bakhtiari Said

Schneidman also wanted to share his thoughts on what David Bakhtiari said regarding how competitive the Packers would be in 2023. As many fans stated on social media, it is concerning that a player still under contract and in such an important role has that attitude going into the season.
“I think the thing that stuck out most [about Bakhtiari’s appearance on the show], my ears kind of perked up when I heard it, was the bit he had about ‘they,’ referring to the Packers as ‘they.’ Listen, I don’t think it’s a big deal that David is referring to the Packers as ‘they’ instead of ‘we’ when he talks about the front office part of it… I don’t think that’s a huge deal.
“What I think is a little more concerning, and I would not be surprised if this caught some of the people in the building off guard, is the part of him talking about them potentially sucking now. I understand that he said, ‘That’s what people probably think.’ David Bakhtiari is not saying, ‘We are probably going to suck.’
“But I think the mere mention of the possibility of the team that you are on sucking, even if you are trying to reflect your beliefs, or the beliefs of fans, is not a great look… As the left tackle for the new quarterback, as a leader in that locker room, as someone whose job it is to pump up the quarterback and pump up the team…
“You’re still employed by the Packers. You’re still, you could say, the best player on the team when healthy. Sometimes you don’t need to keep it that real.”
For more of Schneidman’s interview, including answers on whether or not Brian Gutekunst is on the hot seat, listen to the full show in the link above.
The Green Bay Packers’ offseason has been a rollercoaster, with Aaron Rodgers’ trade negotiations and David Bakhtiari’s candid comments making headlines. For more updates on the Packers’ journey, check out our Aaron Rodgers News and Packers News sections.
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